Córdoban Republic
Encyclopedia
The Taifa of Córdoba was a republic
an taifa
that replaced the teetering Umayyad
Caliph
as the government of Córdoba
and its vicinity in 1031.
After the fall of the Umayyad Caliphate in 1031, Al-Andalus
had begun to fracture into small, independent Taifa emirates. After the abdication of the last Caliph and his flight from Córdoba, the city was left leaderless. The leading citizens decided to grant power to the most prominent Córdoban sheikh, Abū 'l Ḥazm Jahwar bin Muḥammad. Abū 'l Ḥazm soon developed a republican system of government in Córdoba in which a council of ministers and judiciaries with whom he would consult before making every political decision. Under Abū 'l Ḥazm Córdoba was governed by a "collective leadership" and not by a single emir as was common in other taifas. In fact, rather than seeing himself as an overlord of his people, Abū 'l Ḥazm saw himself as the "Custodian" of Córdoba, caring for the city and its inhabitants.
Abū 'l Ḥazm governed Córdoba from 1031 until his death in 1043. He was succeeded by his son Abū 'l Walīd Muḥammad. Abū 'l Walīd continued his father's benevolent rule for twenty-one years. As Abū 'l Walīd grew older, he began to give up management of the Taifa of Córdoba. He instead placed power in the hands of his two sons, 'Abd al-Rāhman and 'Abd al-Malik. The two brothers quickly began to quarrel with each other, stripping the power of the nobles and investing it in themselves in an attempt to gain more power than the other brother. Eventually 'Abd al-Malik gained asendency and stripped 'Abd al-Rāhman of all his power. The feud had destabilized Córdoba though, so 'Abd al-Malik began making friendly overtures to the Emir of Seville, Abbad II al-Mu'tadid
. The cooperation between Córdoba and Seville aroused the jealousy of the Emir of Toledo Yaḥyā bin Dhī 'l-Nūn, who sent an army to besiege Córdoba and capture 'Abd al-Malik. And after the Sevillian emir Abbad II al-Mu'tadid in 1069, his successor Muhammad Ibn Abbad Al Mutamid
seized the oppurunity and send an army to lift the siege on Córdoba. In 1070 they defeated the Toledan army, but then turned on Córdoba and captured the city. 'Abd al-Malik was deposed and Al Mutamid took Córdoba for his own taifa. 'Abd al-Malik first was imprisoned, then sent to exile on the island of Saltés. This marked the end of the taifa.
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
an taifa
Taifa
In the history of the Iberian Peninsula, a taifa was an independent Muslim-ruled principality, usually an emirate or petty kingdom, though there was one oligarchy, of which a number formed in the Al-Andalus after the final collapse of the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba in 1031.-Rise:The origins of...
that replaced the teetering Umayyad
Umayyad
The Umayyad Caliphate was the second of the four major Arab caliphates established after the death of Muhammad. It was ruled by the Umayyad dynasty, whose name derives from Umayya ibn Abd Shams, the great-grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Although the Umayyad family originally came from the...
Caliph
Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ruled the Iberian peninsula and part of North Africa, from the city of Córdoba, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islamic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous...
as the government of Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
and its vicinity in 1031.
After the fall of the Umayyad Caliphate in 1031, Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus
Al-Andalus was the Arabic name given to a nation and territorial region also commonly referred to as Moorish Iberia. The name describes parts of the Iberian Peninsula and Septimania governed by Muslims , at various times in the period between 711 and 1492, although the territorial boundaries...
had begun to fracture into small, independent Taifa emirates. After the abdication of the last Caliph and his flight from Córdoba, the city was left leaderless. The leading citizens decided to grant power to the most prominent Córdoban sheikh, Abū 'l Ḥazm Jahwar bin Muḥammad. Abū 'l Ḥazm soon developed a republican system of government in Córdoba in which a council of ministers and judiciaries with whom he would consult before making every political decision. Under Abū 'l Ḥazm Córdoba was governed by a "collective leadership" and not by a single emir as was common in other taifas. In fact, rather than seeing himself as an overlord of his people, Abū 'l Ḥazm saw himself as the "Custodian" of Córdoba, caring for the city and its inhabitants.
Abū 'l Ḥazm governed Córdoba from 1031 until his death in 1043. He was succeeded by his son Abū 'l Walīd Muḥammad. Abū 'l Walīd continued his father's benevolent rule for twenty-one years. As Abū 'l Walīd grew older, he began to give up management of the Taifa of Córdoba. He instead placed power in the hands of his two sons, 'Abd al-Rāhman and 'Abd al-Malik. The two brothers quickly began to quarrel with each other, stripping the power of the nobles and investing it in themselves in an attempt to gain more power than the other brother. Eventually 'Abd al-Malik gained asendency and stripped 'Abd al-Rāhman of all his power. The feud had destabilized Córdoba though, so 'Abd al-Malik began making friendly overtures to the Emir of Seville, Abbad II al-Mu'tadid
Abbad II al-Mu'tadid
Abbad II al-Mu'tadid was second ruler of Seville in Al-Andalus, a member of the Abbadid dynasty....
. The cooperation between Córdoba and Seville aroused the jealousy of the Emir of Toledo Yaḥyā bin Dhī 'l-Nūn, who sent an army to besiege Córdoba and capture 'Abd al-Malik. And after the Sevillian emir Abbad II al-Mu'tadid in 1069, his successor Muhammad Ibn Abbad Al Mutamid
Muhammad Ibn Abbad Al Mutamid
Muhammad Ibn Abbad Al Mutamid was the third and last ruler of the taifa of Seville in Al-Andalus. He was a member of the Abbadid dynasty....
seized the oppurunity and send an army to lift the siege on Córdoba. In 1070 they defeated the Toledan army, but then turned on Córdoba and captured the city. 'Abd al-Malik was deposed and Al Mutamid took Córdoba for his own taifa. 'Abd al-Malik first was imprisoned, then sent to exile on the island of Saltés. This marked the end of the taifa.